Drive mechanism for clothes wringers



Oct. 1942 T. E. BEHAN 2,297,997

DRIVE MECHANISM FOR CLOTHES WRINGERS Fild'Aug. so, 1937 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 6, 1942- Q 'r. E. BEHAN 2,297,997

DRIVE MECHANISM FOR CLOTHES WRINGERS Filed Aug. :50, 19s? 2 Sheets-Sheet? H MAS /V BY Patented Oct. 6, 1942 UNETE STA-S E ATQET OFFICE naive MECHANISM FOR CLOTHES WRINGERS 2 Claims.

This invention relates to clothes wringers and more particularly to an improved type of drive mechanism therefor.

A primary object of this invention is the provision of a driving mechanism for a .clothes wringer having means whereby the rollers .may be rotated in either direction, including a clutch and simplified mechanism whereby the power for moving the clutch from any of its positions to any other is produced by the driving mechanism itself.

'A further object is the provision of means in association with such a clothes wringer whereby the operator may reverse the direction of rotation of the rollers and start or stop the same by the application of an exceedingly light pressure to-a control handle.

An additional object is the provision of means associated with the drive mechanism of a clothes wringer whereby the position of the clothes wringer may be varied and the same rotated about an axis in alignment with the driving shaft without the necessity of manually manipulating any lock or set screw or analagous mechanism.

A still further object is the provision .of such a structure as described in the preceding paragraph wherein the wringer maybe rotated about the axis above mentioned only when the rollers are inoperative and whereby the mechanism is locked against such rotation during these periods when the wringer rollers are rotating in either direction.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention, therefore, consists in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be pointed out more fully hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side sectional view of one form of mechanism embodying the inventive concept,

Figure 2 is a sectional detail view along the line 2-2 of Figure 1 as viewed from the top, certain parts being omitted to more clearly show the elements intended to be disclosed,

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line 3-3 of Figure 2 as viewed from the bottom.

Figure 4 is a sectional View along the line 44 of Figure 2 as viewed from the bottom,

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4 as viewed from the bottom. Similar reference characters denote similar parts throughout the several views of the drawmgs.

s en r lly indicated a 1. a ho n a in nclosin th rive me ha m f r apertion of the instant invention. Casing I0 is provided with an aperture I] through which is passed a vertically extending drive shaft l 2 journaled at its upper extremity in a recess l3 which may comprise an integral part of the casing ill. Drive shaft 12 has mounted thereon a freely revolvable gear l4 and a second similar but oppositely positioned gear I 5. Gears l4 and I both engage a th;i r d gear 16 which in turn is ri idly se ured to a d iv n mbe as y'a pin 18 which serves ,to ,drive one of a pair of conventional wringer rollers (not shown). A clutch member generallyindicated at 20 is positioned between gears 14 and L in n-rq a ly secu ed to ,driving shaft J2 in a manner to be hereinafter described. Thus from the oregoing it will he .seenthat upon mQVementof clutch member 20 ,to engage gear [5 ina manner to be described hereinafter, sear i wi be ro e in on ectionand upon movement of clutch 20 to engage sea-r115, ,gear 16, and hence drive member ll audits associatedrqller will be rotated in a reverse direction.

Having reference now specifically to clutch 2 B itwill .:be, seen -that agroove 22 is provided in the center vof clutch member 20 comprised of a pair of flanges .2-3 and 2A. A pair of splines 25 extend upwardly above flange 2, a d a s m a pa of splines .26 extend downwardly from flange 2;. Splines .25 are adapted to move upwardly under conditions to be describedhereina-fter into alignment @Witha pair of depending lugs 28 carried by gear J5. Similarly splines 26 are adapted to move downwardly into registry with correspondinglupwardly extending lugs 28 carried by gear I4. A ratchetZB is positioned around driveshaft i2 andnrovided Withaperturestfl through which splines 25 ,pass. A suitable pin 21 may serve as the securing means for ratchet 19, passing through shaft 12 between upwardly extending splines '25. ,A similar ratchet -3I substantially identical .in form to ratchet 29, provided with apertures correspondin to ap u 30 t ug which splines ",ZGJTIQIY passis also secured to drive shaft .112 in a similar manner as by a pin Z l. Thus, .ratchet 29 and 3| serve to hold ,clutch member :29 in non-rotatable relationship with driveshaft l2 but at the same time permit vertical movement thereof with respe ct to drive shaft 12. :Additional purposes of ratchets 29 and .3! will' -bermore fully pointed out hereinafter.

As best shownin Figure 2,a fork-like member Referring now to the drawings-in detailthere as romdeamthiawardl tiime ex remitie 1. 3

is positioned adjacent groove 22 in such manner that extremities 39 interengage therewith, being held in position by flanges 23 and 24 whereby any movement imparted to member 35 is transmitted to clutch 29 and conversely, any movement of clutch 29 is transmitted through extremities 36 to fork-like member 35. Fork-like member 35 is pivoted as by pins 31 (see Figure 2) to a supporting bracket 38 which in turn is rigidly secured to suitable projections extending from the wall of casing ID, as by screws 39. Fork-like member 35 is provided with a vertically extending member 49 adjacent one of pivot pins 31 comprised of an upwardly extending portion 4| and a downwardly extending portion 42, which portions extend to points approximately adjacent ratchets 29 and 3| respectively.

Member 35 is also provided with a curved portion 43 adjacent the other of pivot pins 31. Curved portion 43 is provided, as shown in Figure 3, with an indented upper surface 44 adapted to be engaged by a ball 45 pressed into engagement therewith by a spring 46 contained in a housing 41. Housing 41 is rigidly secured to a cam surfaced member 48 carried by and rigidly secured as by a pin 49 to a control shaft 59. Control shaft 59 is provided at its upper extremity with an operating handle extending exteriorly of casing l9.

Now from the foregoing, it will be seen that upon movement of operating handle 5| in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Figure 2, housing 41 and its associated ball 45 will be moved in a corresponding counterclockwise direction about curved member 43 to cause, by virtue of the indented portion 44 of member 43 previously discussed, an upward movement of the extremities 36 of fork-like member 35 as viewed in Figure 1. Such upward movement will be imparted to splines 25, which, it should be pointed out, extend, when the clutch mechanism is in the central or neutral position shown in Figure 1, only to the upper surface of ratchet 29, to cause the same to move upwardly into a position in which they will engage lugs 28 of gear |5 to cause rotation of the same and hence rotation of drive shaft l1 and its associated roller. Correspondingly upon movement of operating lever 5| in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2, ball 45 will ride up the other surface of indentation 44 and cause a downward movement of extremities 36 of fork 35 to cause engagement of splines 25 with lugs 28 of gear M to cause reverse movement of driving member I1 and consequently reverse rotation of its associated roller.

Means which will now be described are also provided whereby upon a movement of operating handle 5| to its central position from either of its two extreme positions, drive shaft l2 will of itself occasion return of the operating mechanism to such neutral position. A bracket, generally indicated at 55, is pivoted as by a pin 56 to suitable extending members which may comprise an integral part of the wall of casing I9. Bracket is provided with two extending portions 51 and 58 each suitably recessed and provided with freely sliding blocks 59 and 69 within such recesses. Portions 51 and 58 extend to a position adjacent ratchet members 29 and 3| respectively, whereby block 59 serves under conditions to be described hereinafter as a pawl for ratchet 29 and block 99 as a pawl for ratchet 3|.

Member 51 is provided with a curved portion 6| (see Figure 2) providing in effect a cam follower for cam 48 which is provided with a recess 62 adapted to engage with cam follower 6|. Thus when, by rotation of operating handle 5|, operating rod 59 and hence cam 48 are rotated, portions 51 and 58 are moved about pivot 56 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2, permitting ratchets 29 and 3| to rotate freely with clutch 29 about driving shaft l2. However, upon a return of operating handle 5| to its central or neutral position, cam follower 6| re-engages its associated notch 62, whereupon blocks 59 and 69 fall into the path of rotation of ratchets 29 and 3| respectively. Upon the engagement of, illustratively, a tooth of ratchet 29 with block 59, block 59 is forced inwardly into abutting relationship with extending portion 4| of vertically extending member 49 and by the pressure exerted thereagainst causes a return of fork-like member 35 to its central position, thereby returning clutch 29 similarly to a neutral position.

Additional means are also provided for insuring the movement of bracket 55 completely out of path of movement of ratchets 29 and 3| Such means take the form of a spring 33 and an elongated aperture 54 (see Figure 2). Spring 53 serves, with theparts in the position shown in Figure 2, to bias bracket member 55 slightly in a clockwise direction about a fulcrum comprised of cam follower 6|, elongated recess 54 permitting a slight movement of bracket 55 with respect to its normal pivot pin 56. Thus, it will be seen that when cam follower 6| is out of notch 62 and adjacent a high dwell of cam 48, the slight additional clearance provided by spring 53 and aperture 54 insures a complete clearance between blocks 59 and 69 and ratchets 29 and 3|.

Assuming the operating handle to be in its opposite position whereby member 42 is closely adjacent block 69, a corresponding engagement of a tooth or ratchet 3| with block 69 will, by pressure exerted against extending portion 42, likewise return fork-like member 35 and hence clutch 29 to its central or neutral position.

Thus, it will be seen that by a mere finger tip pressure upon operating handle 5|, clutch 29 is initially engaged and may be moved from neutral to either forward or reverse operating position, and correspondingly from either operating position to neutral since the actual movement of the clutch is done by power obtained from the drive shaft I2, operating handle 5| merely serving of itself to impart slight rotative movement to operating rod 59.

Means likewise are provided whereby the entire structure of the wringer may be rotated about the axis formed by drive shaft l2 during such time as the clutch mechanism above described is in neutral position but whereby such movement is precluded when the wringer rollers are rotated through clutch 29. Such means take the form, as shown in Figure 1, of a supporting bracket 64 coaxial with, and surrounding drive shaft |2 on which is mounted a collar 65 secured to bracket 64 in any desired manner as by a lug 96 engaging a suitable grOOVe in bracket 64. Thus, it will be seen that upon rotation of housing l9, collar remains stationary on bracket 64. Collar 65 is provided with a, plurality of apertures 61 provided with substantially conical bottom portions 68. Adjacent collar 65 is a downwardly extending bore 69 in substantial alignment with operating rod 59. Bore 69 is provided with an aperture 19 which when the wringer is moved follows a path in registry with apertures 61, into which projects a spherical member 1| of a diameter adapted to fit snugly within one of recesses 61. Adjacent ball H is a member 12 provided with a cam surface 13 and a shoulder 14 against which one end of a spring 15 abuts. The other end of spring 15 abuts a shoulder 16 at the upper extremity of bore 69. A rod 11 of a diameter substantially equal to that of operating rod 5| extends upwardly from member 12 and passing through a suitable aperture 19 terminates adjacent the lower portion of operating rod 53. The upper end of rod 11 is provided with a stepped surface comprising a lower portion 18 and an upper portion 80. correspondingly the lower end of operating rod 59 is provided with a stepped surface comprising a lower portion BI and an upper portion 82. With the parts in position shown it will be seen that portion 18 is adjacent portion BI and portion 80 adjacent portion 82 in such manner as to permit a clearance between the effective adjacent ends of operating rod 5|] and rod 11. Thus upon rotation of the wringer and hence housing If! about shaft I2 upon removal of aperture l0 from juxtaposition to a recess Bl, sphere H is forced outwardly with respect to aperture 61 due to the conical bottom surface 68 of the recess 61 and through engagement with cam surface 13 and the bottom of bore 69, forces member 12 and hence rod 'il upwardly against the pressure of spring 15 until such time as aperture "ID is adjacent a second recess 61 whereupon the ball H may resume its position as shown.

It will, therefore, be readily understood that any desired number of recesses 61 may be formed in collar 65 to provide any desirable plurality of positions through which the Wringer may be moved. It will be further understood that the pressure of spring 15 is sufficiently great to resist free rotating movement of the wringer about shaft 12 in the absence of a substantial pressure exerted thereon.

It will additionally be seen, however, that when operating handle 5| is moved to impart motion to the rollers in the manner previously discussed, low surface 8| of operating rod 50 is juxtaposed to high surface 89 of rod 11 in such manner as to remove the clearance between the adjacent ends of these rods. When the parts are in such position, therefore, rod 11 is held securely against movement and likewise sphere H forms, in effect, a pin and aperture connection through its association with recess 61 and hence precludes the possibility of rotation of the wringer during such time as the rollers are in operation.

Thus, from the foregoing it will be seen that the structure herein before described and shown in the accompanying drawings accomplishes all the objects of this invention including many advantages of great practical importance. As many embodiments may be made of the invention, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set out and/or shown in the drawings, is to be interpreted merely as illustrative and to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the character described, in combination a driving member, a driven member, a clutch member therebetween, an operating shaft, a forked member pivoted adjacent said perating shaft, a cam surface on said forked member, a cam follower carried by said operating shaft whereby movement of said operating shaft is imparted to said forked member and movement of said forked member is imparted to said clutch and means carried by said driving member to move said forked member and hence said clutch upon a change in position of said cam follower carried by said operating shaft.

2. In a device of the character described, in combination a driving member, a driven member,

a clutch member therebetween, an operating shaft, a forked member pivoted adjacent said operating shaft, a cam surface on said forked member, a cam follower carried by said operating shaft whereby movement of said operating shaft is imparted to said forked member and movement of said forked member is imparted to said clutch and means carried by said driving member to move said forked member and hence said clutch upon a change in position of said cam follower carried by said operating shaft, said means including a ratchet carried by said driving member and a pawl associated with said forked member and means whereby movement of said operating shaft juxtaposes said pawl to said ratchet to cause movement of said forked member therethrough.

THOMAS W. BEHAN.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No.'2,297,997. October 19m.

THOMAS W. BEHAN It is hereby certified" that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: In the heading to the drawings, Sheets 1 and 2, n ame of inventor, for "T. E. BEHAN" read T. w. BEHAN; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction .therein 5 that the same. may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office Signed and sealed this 12th day-of January, A. D. 19%.

Henry Van Arsdale,

. (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

